*I was given a subscription in exchange for this review, but all thoughts & opinions are my own.*
Even though I’ve worked in education for nearly 10 years, kindergarten threw me for a loop!
Last year, my daughter attended an all day Pre-K program. The first few weeks were rough. She cried when I dropped her off, and my heart went through all kinds of emotions. Even though she already had the full day school experience, I was TERRIFIED of kindergarten. Now that the school year is nearly over, I’m a seasoned expert (kind of)!
Here are a few things I wish I knew about kindergarten:
Literacy is Important
Read books to your child nightly and record books on their reading log. Ask and answer questions about the story to encourage your child’s critical thinking skills.
Read a variety of books so that you can help your child identify different kinds of texts (non-fiction, fiction, & poems)-believe it or not, they are already learning this in kindergarten!
Learning to Write
It’s important to learn what font your child will be learning to write in. This will help you to reinforce the writing skills they are learning at school. Help your child write simple sentences (Ex. I like to play.)
Sight Words
The key to teaching your kids sight words is to practice, practice, practice! Remember, every child learns in a different way, so you can try a variety of ways to help your child learn new words.
One of my favorite ways is to label everyday items around the house with index cards. The more your kids see words, the more likely they are to recognize them and ask you what they are.
Communication Folders
As a mom who is very type A, I’ve enjoyed the communication folders. It keeps me in the loop of what she is learning and studying every week. I also get a snapshot of her behavior and all the events in the school. At the beginning of the year, I was great about checking her folder every day, but as the year comes to a close, I find myself forgetting to sign something and even forgetting to put the folder back in her book bag on occasion. I honestly would be lost without it.
In conjunction with her communication folder, her teacher has also asked the parents to sign up for Remind 101. This app has changed my life! Sometimes I read about an upcoming event in the folder, but the craziness of life ensues when I get home and I forget (imagine that!). The remind app allows my child’s teacher to send out group texts to everyone.
Your Child’s Teacher is Now the Expert on Life
I can’t tell you how many times this year my daughter has said, “my teacher said…” Her teacher’s words always seem to trump mine. I don’t get offended, but rather excited that she loves and trusts her teacher’s knowledge.
Be prepared for your child to take your teacher’s word as gospel…and yours is well..not as important.
Home Becomes an Extension of the Classroom
Even though I have worked in education for nearly 10 years, practicing handwriting, math, reading & sight words was intimidating for me at first. I had no idea that common core required so much of my five-year-old.
Recently, I’ve discovered the Kidloland app.
Kidloland makes learning fun by teaching ABCs, animals, fruits, vegetables, shapes, seasons, occupations, weather and more with the help of 1000+ interactive nursery rhymes, songs, stories and educational activities.
My daughters love the bright colors, animals & songs that help them take the first steps into learning math, phonics & so much more!
Since my husband is a farmer, my girls love the fruit & vegetable game. They are learning new vegetables, along with matching shapes and colors. This games appeals to all kinds of learners (audio, visual & kinesthetic).
Are you interested in Kidloland for your kids? You can find it through the following links:
Do you have a child in kindergarten? I’d love to hear what you’ve learned this year!
Want to win a 3-month subscription to Kidloland?? Enter below!!
